The Barbados Accreditation Council (BAC) will soon become the Barbados Accreditation Authority.
This was disclosed by the organisation’s Executive Director Lisa Gale, during the official opening of the BAC’s new offices at the Phoenix Centre, George Street, St Michael on Friday.
Gale told media personnel that based on the growth and expansion of services offered by the council and after several discussions with its various partners across the island, it was determined that the change was warranted.
“We are moving from Barbados Accreditation Council, to a Barbados Accreditation and Qualification Authority. That is the real plan; have a new iteration of the organisation. Right now our legislation does not encompass the framework. It says it allows us to build out a credit scheme, but it does not mention the framework.
“All stakeholders have indicated their commitment to finalising the framework, they actually want it to happen. The TVET [Council] is keen to see the register, keen to see things moving, so yes there is a significant appetite for a qualifications authority.”
The council has had two separate discussions with its partners on areas of the revised framework which will see educational institutions across the island aligning with a new uniformed, assessment system that will better conform to international standards. This should assist students to use their qualifications in more markets around the globe.
Gale revealed that a number of areas required for the new framework were currently being worked on and the team hopes to finalise all necessary adjustments to the current legislation governing the powers of the council, by year end.
“Before the end of this financial year, we would have finalised three things; one of them is our credit scheme, one of them is our handbook which providers would use, and building out the register which is the qualifications register.
“A lot of work has gone into this, we have had several consultancies but we were in hiatus [but] we are bringing everything to a conclusion. We are going to pass on everything to the Cabinet of Barbados so that they can make the final decision.”
Gale added: “It has already been approved by the Cabinet, but we have been asked to go back to the stakeholders to ensure that we are all on the same page, and when we make the changes to the legislature, we don’t have to go back any time soon.”
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